The present disclosure contemplates a method, system and apparatus for producing and dispensing food products such as beverages made from a concentrate.
There are numerous beverage preparation systems that use a concentrate substance to prepare a beverage. Typically, the beverage concentrate is diluted with another substance, such as water, to prepare the desired resultant beverage, for example coffee, tea or juice to name a few. The concentrate may be in the form of a frozen, chilled, room temperature or heated prepackaged liquid or may also be a freshly brewed or otherwise prepared concentrate liquid. Additionally, powdered, gel, gaseous, granulated or other concentrates may be used.
The concentrate may be contained in a variety of containers. For example, one form of packaged beverage concentrates come in a “bag-in-box” arrangement where a plastic bag containing the beverage concentrate is contained within a box. Other containers such as metallic cylinders or plastic bottles may be used. The “bag-in-box” containing the desired concentrate is attached to a dispensing apparatus. Heated water in the case of coffee or tea, or chilled or room temperature water in the case of juice is then combined with a predetermined volume of concentrate to yield a resulting beverage with desired flavor characteristics. The proper volume of diluting water and concentrate are typically measured as a factor of time. For example, for a unit of beverage to be produced, a pump dispensing a concentrate must operate for a preselected period of time to deliver a predetermined volume of concentrate. At the same time, a valve must be opened for a preselected period of time to deliver a predetermined volume of diluting water. The combination of the pump and valve operating for preselected periods of time will produce a beverage with a desired flavor characteristic.
The concentrate and diluting water may be alternatively introduced at separate times into a container from which the resulting beverage is dispensed or consumed. Another possibility is to combine the concentrate and diluting water in a mixing chamber prior to dispensing into a container.
The concentrate and diluting water must mix thoroughly in order for a resulting beverage to be enjoyed at an optimum level. Mixing has been accomplished by combining concentrate and diluting water prior to dispensing of a beverage through the use of agitators, mechanical devices and physical shapes of serving spouts. Mixing has also been accomplished by separately dispensing a concentrate and a diluting water directly into a container.
It is expected that there are other beverage dispensing and diluting systems which will benefit from the present disclosure which provides improved accuracy, consistency, repeatability and uniformity in the mixing and dispensing of beverages formed from a concentrate.
The present disclosure relates to a method, system and apparatus for producing and dispensing beverages made from a concentrate. The present disclosure includes a mixing chamber which allows a conductivity detecting system to more accurately monitor the conductivity of a diluted beverage during the mixing and dispensing process, thereby producing a more uniform beverage.
The present disclosure includes a mixing chamber and a method of introducing concentrate and diluting water into the mixing chamber which will give rise to more accurate detection of conductivity of the resulting beverage within the mixing chamber. Further, the mixing chamber will yield a more uniform beverage in both taste and appearance.
Briefly, a method, system and apparatus for producing and dispensing beverages made from a concentrate is disclosed. A conductivity detecting system is provided within a mixing chamber for measuring the conductivity of a beverage contained therein. The mixing chamber is a component of a mixing system. The mixing system contemplates a concentrate supply line and a vent line located proximate to an outlet end of an angled inlet tube carrying diluting water into a mixing chamber. The mixing chamber includes a structure with a removable portion, such as a cover having protrusions for homogenizing or mixing the concentrate and the diluting water as they enter the mixing chamber. Homogenizing is meant to describe the process of combining a concentrate and a diluting water into a beverage having uniform consistency. Further, a reduced diameter restriction in the mixing chamber is provided to allow for pooling of the resulting homogenized beverage which allows for further mixing as well as measurement by conductivity probes proximate to the area of restricted diameter.
Additional features will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of drawings illustrating at least one embodiment of the disclosure.